Rochester, NY – Diamond Packaging of Rochester, NY won four awards in the 14th Annual FSEA Gold Leaf Awards Competition, the industry's premier showcase for foil stamping and embossing designs and techniques. Awards were announced at the IADD-FSEA Odyssey 2007, held May 2-4, 2007 in Milwaukee, WI.

The competition, which is sponsored by the Foil Stamping & Embossing Association (FSEA), recognizes creativity and superior execution of designs that reflect positively on the industry as a whole. Entries are judged on criteria including design, execution, and level of difficulty. Winning an award is a mark of excellence in the packaging field and recognition of superior achievement.

Competing against hundreds of entries from around the country, Diamond earned recognition by winning three Gold Leaf awards and one Silver Leaf award.

Diamond won a Gold Leaf award for a Coty Stetson fragrance gift set carton that is as bold and original as the legendary product.

The French straight tuck carton features a combination of foil stamping and embossing that serves to augment the subtle graphic design. The entire front panel was stamped with gold foil, prior to printing and embossing. The embossed paisley pattern and Stetson logo above the top of the die cut window combine with a micro-embossed pattern around the perimeter of the carton to create a unique visual and tactile presentation, suggestive of the rugged individualism of the American West.

Die cutting on the front panel retains the rigidity of the carton and also leverages brand identity by allowing the products to show through. Perforated tags communicate pricing information at the time of purchase, yet can easily be removed prior to gift giving.

The stunning graphics were achieved by offset printing UV black, one PMS color, and UV metallic gold ink in-line with UV gloss coating. Metallic ink was printed over foil to complement the micro-embossed pattern around the perimeter of the carton.

Diamond also won a Gold Leaf award for its 2007 calendar, a popular promotional item given to customers and suppliers. The three-panel calendar illustrates many of the company's internal capabilities, including creative design, stochastic printing, printing and stamping on plastic, spot coating, foil stamping, and embossing.

This year's calendar was designed with a 1950’s retro theme that extends from the header, backer and calendar pages to the Forte™ shipper.

The overall presentation imparts unusual depth and distinction through innovative structural design, combination materials, spot coating, and multi-level embossing.

The header incorporates both paperboard and plastic substrates, which combine to present a three dimensional view of classic hot rods and carhops set against a drive-in eatery.

Die cuts in the paperboard header allow the APET piece to be interlocked into the paperboard, creating a slight radius.

The classic hot rods were embossed and spot coated, creating a unique visual effect and added dimension. Additionally, the Diamond logo and calendar year were hot foil stamped on one side and printed on the other, simulating a neon sign.

Other winning highlights include a holiday card featuring green and silver hot foil stamping on plastic, and silver hot foil stamping on paperboard, and a Diamondessence™ combination packaging self-promotional carton.

A complete list of Diamond Packaging's winning entries is as follows:

Since 1911, Diamond Packaging has dedicated itself to providing the highest standard of quality, innovation and cost effective packaging for companies including Bausch & Lomb, Beiersdorf, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Coty, Godiva Chocolatier, Procter & Gamble, and L’Oreal USA. As part of the Global Packaging Alliance® (GPA), Diamond and its alliance members offer packaging solutions to companies operating on an international scale. Customers receive responsive, localized service, award-winning creative designs, identical product specifications and consistent brand recognition, resulting in unparalleled worldwide packaging support.

For more information about Diamond Packaging, contact Dennis Bacchetta at (585) 334-8030 x229 or visit the website at www.diamondpackaging.com. For more information about the Foil Stamping & Embossing Association, contact Jeff Peterson at (785) 271-5816 or visit the website at www.fsea.com.